Political futures will be shored up this weekend as one of the biggest and most lavish political events for the Keystone state gets underway at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

Amid a steady flow of food and cocktails, guests to the Pennsylvania Society will have an opportunity to hobnob with the wealthy and powerful as politicos vyi for endorsements and donations.

At stake are a pair of Congressional primary races, a potential vacancy in the state attorney general's office and a race for the U.S. Senate that could tip the balance of power in that chamber.

But true to his attention-grabbing adroitness, GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is getting all the attention. Trump, who will headline the $1,000-a-plate annual luncheon for the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania at The Plaza, this week continued to stir commentary as to whether his brand of polarizing politics is what the Republicans need at the weekend fete.

"I think it's a mistake," said Rep. Tim Hennessey, R-Chester. "He's too much of a lighting rod. He has fostered discussion but he seems like a loose cannon. He is an asset but he is also a disruption and distraction we don't need right now."

Trump, who for months has stirred one controversy after another on the campaign trail, on Tuesday came under fire - even from among his party - for suggesting that the U.S. should deny entry to Muslims. Amid the clamor, Trump followed up that his suggestion entailed a temporary measure to secure borders.

Ahead of the weekend gathering, Trump has garnered mixed reaction from among state and local lawmakers.

"I've never been a Republican Party insider so whatever decision they want to make, that's up to them. He's not my guy," said Rep. Steve Bloom, R-North Middleton Twp. "I believe that we need to put security before hospitality but I also don't believe we should with a broad brush be labeling entire religious groups the way he has."

Bloom has never gone to the Pennsylvania Society gathering and won't be going this year.

Sen. Rich Alloway, R-Franklin County, objects to Trump's comments - but says the candidate has every right to articulate his opinion.

"We don't separate people in America by their religious beliefs," Alloway said. "In fact, that's the opposite of what this country was founded on. Now it's a different story when you are talking about illegals or Syrian refugees or people like that. I absolutely believe that those folks should be stopped from entering our country without extensive background search."

Rep. Mike Regan, R-Dillsburg, said what Trump suggested would be a tremendous undertaking.

"When you just say Muslims, that's a difficult thing," said Regan, who will not be in New York this weekend. "This is America and you have to stop and look at it. What we want to remove from our country are those who want to hurt us. To say [stop] the Muslims [from entering the country] would be may be a little extreme at this point.'

In the wake of the latest ISIS-related terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Calif., Trump's proposal to close the borders to Muslims has garnered wide condemnation across the country and overseas. GOP opponent Jeb Bush called Trump "unhinged", while former US Vice-President Dick Cheney said it "goes against everything we stand for and believe in".

Trump told Fox News that his proposal would "not apply to people living in the country." He added that Muslims serving in the U.S. military would "come home."

Alloway said Trump might say things that some people find objectionable, but whether to the American public or the guests of the GOP luncheon, he had the free-speech right to do so.

"This is America," he said. "He's one of the leading presidential candidates. He should have the right to stand before people, if they want to come see him and hear his views... That's what America was founded on. Whether you agree or disagree, we can argue that together and that's fine. But his right to come and have a speech and say what he believes is fundamental and I would hope that people like the ACLU and others on the left would support his freedom to come say that."

Alloway said if people find Trump's message objectionable, the best method of protest is simply to avoid the speech. "Just don't show up. That's how you lodge your protest. But I absolutely think he has the right to say what's on his mind."

Rep. Seth Grove, R-Dover, has a historical stake in the weekend event. His mother's family helped found it. Grove concedes that Trump "brings in a lot of people," but like Bloom, he will sit out the weekend festivities.

"A lot of people follow him," he said. "From a financial end, maybe it makes sense. He will be a draw but that's a decision the party has to go with."

Still, amid a five-month old budget stalemate that has severed financial aid to schools, human services and local governments, a slew of state legislators said that Trump was the least of their worries.

"Donald Trump is the farthest thing from my mind," said Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Bedford. "I don't think his appearance there matters at all. The only thing that matters is getting a budget for the people of Pennsylvania."

Like others, Rep. Dan Moul, R-Adams County, said the budget impasse eclipsed any controversy about Trump's appearance this weekend. But Moul, who has no plans to attend, said regardless of how anyone feels about Trump, the candidate is articulating important points.

"Whether you like him or not, he is saying things that are making people think," Moul said. "Sometimes he sounds prejudiced and he probably is to a degree, but it's time to put all political correctness aside because if we don't, we are all going to be dead."

Across the political aisle, politicos had harsh criticism for the decision to have Trump headline the GOP luncheon.

"When you are running for president of the United States, you're like the statue in federal court, blindfolded. Because you are not representing one individual," said Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Philadelphia. "Donald Trump thinks he's representing one individual, the one he wants to choose. Everybody else is going to disperse and he wants to send everybody back to where they came from. Totally disrespectful and it's not what our founding fathers set this country to be. So if I were in the Republican party, I would say I'm not participating if he is there."

Late Tuesday, Rogette Harris, chairwoman of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee, called for the state Republican Party to rescind its invitation to Trump to headline the weekend's events.

"All elected officials, Republican and Democrat alike should protest by not attending until Trump's invitation is withdrawn." Harris said. "Trump's presence, nor his money should be welcomed in Pennsylvania."

"The road he and his followers are traveling, they might as well throw out the Bill of Rights, and the core principles the U.S. was founded on," she said. "Trump has obviously forgotten that a core value America was built on is freedom of religion, which includes Islam."